Even though this isn't going to be the first time that the two men won't go in together in a Test, it will still be a lot different from any such instances in the past.

Previously, it'd been the unavailability of one of them that had led to a change of personnel and the moment they were available, regular business resumed.

This time though, Gambhir has been dropped (first time since he replaced Wasim Jaffer in 2008) and will perhaps be picked up only once he shows signs of returning to form.

M Vijay

While there must be a strong temptation to play Shikhar Dhawan to continue having a left and right hand combination at the top, Vijay is likely to pip Dhawan to the post, for he was the 'reserve opener' for the series against England too.

Vijay has had an indifferent first-class season, in which he started with a big double hundred against Rajasthan in the Irani Cup, scored next to nothing for Tamil Nadu in Ranji but returned to form with a hundred against Mumbai, once again, in Irani.

But since the runs scored for Rest of India are against a Ranji side, you must rate that performance accordingly.